Thermoinhaler



c; L MAGEE THERMOINHALER May 6, 194,1.

Filed July 6.l 1940 Snventor Ctfornegs.

Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERMOINHALER C'olo.

Application July 6, 1940, Serial No. 344,275

(Cl. 12S-192) 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to inhalers and more particularly to thermoinhalers for use in the relief and treatment of head colds, hay fever and other conditions of the mucous membranes of the nasal passages and throat.

Heretofore the use of inhalers for the purposes stated by patients in sitting or lying positions has been attended with a great deal of inconvenience due to the possibility of spilling the liquid used in the treatment and to the awkward constructions of the inhalers. A further diiilculty has been the proper washing and sterilization of the inhalers after use.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a thermoinhaler which will not be subject to the disadvantagesl above mentioned Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermoinhaler which when used by the patient Will not merely alleviate his discomfort but will, when properly employed, relieve the pathological condition causing the illness and discomfort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thermoinhaler which not only permits the suiferer to inhale fresh heated air but is also provided with means whereby the air may be treated by contact with water or a suitable medicament, such as eucalyptus, pine oil, menthol or similar recognized preparations beneficial in the treatment of the above mentioned conditions or ailments.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- Vide a thermoinhaler which is simple, inexpensive and easy to use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the improved device with parts shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the inhaler comprises integrally formed branch portions I0, Il and I2 which are in communication with each other at their inner ends and initially open at their outer ends.

'I'he branch I0 is preferably a hollow cylindrical casing of elongated form having its open end interiorly threaded for a short distance to receive a flanged screw plug I3 forming a detachable closure for same. At its inner face the plug I3 is provided with a socket I4 carrying an incandescent lamp I5 of elongated form and disposed within the branch I0 in spaced relation thereto. Electric current is conducted from any suitable source -to the lamp I5 by a cord I6 conventionally plugged to the electrical source to form a heating unit for the inhaler.

The lower end of branch I0 is provided with a number, preferably six, spaced apart perforations I'I for the purpose of admitting air into the branch I. These perforations I'I are so located with respect to the lamp I5 that the entering air immediately comes into contact with initial portion of the lamp and becoming heated rises in the branch I0.

A portion of the branch I0 is depressed as shown at I8 forming ribs I9 and 20 to accommodate an asbestos or other heat proof lining 2I. 'I'his prevents the conduction of heat to the external parts of the branch which thus serves as a handhold for the inhaler when in use.

The open end of branch I I is also interiorly threaded for a short distance to receive a anged screw plug 22 -to form a detachable closure for this branch. On its inner face the plug 22 is integrally provided with an open ended cylindrical container 23 which is disposed within the branch II. A shoulder or inset portion 24 on the container reduces the diameter of the container to something appreciably less than the diameter of the tube forming branch II to form between these concentric members an annular air space for the circulation of the heated air ascending through the branch or casing II).

The container 23 is disposed within the branch II to span the communicating port 25 of branch II. It will be noted at this point that branch II is provided with a neck 26 which permits the heated air to converge at the port 25 and its full effect is directed to the container 23. container 23 is provided with a plurality of slots 2'I which are elongated in the direction of length or axis of the container. 'I'he container 23 is adapted to contain cotton or other similar material 28 which is saturated with a suitable medicament or simply water which is thus held in suspension. The slots 2l expose the saturated cotton to the heated air current drawn through the branch Ill whereby the medicament or other fluid The will engage the cotton and by which the cotton may be pushed toward the open end of the holder for the-'purpose of ejecting same and freeing the interior of the holder for replenishment of fresh newly saturated cotton.

The open end of branch l 2 is not screw threaded but has a smooth surface to which is removably attached a face mask 29 of pliablev material such as rubber. integrally-formed 'with the mask is a nipple 3i] which .serves as an adaptor in securing the mask in the smooth open end portion of the branch i2. As rubber has a higher co-efficient or" friction than 'metal the adaptor 3S will be aided in frict'onally binding and remaining in the smooth end of the tube to be held `therein during use ofthe inhaler.-'1" t VIn use; thecontainer 23 is suitably provided 'wthsaturated cotton and screw threaded into the threaded porti'onof the branch H. The mask-29 is-'then inserted in thel opposite or smooth endoi the branch I2 by means of the be laden with any of the moisture or medicament therefrom.

It is desired to have small quantities of this heated unmoistened air for purposes of ease in breathing but the majority of tho air received by the patient should be mcistened or medicated. The arrangement of the by-pass orice 3i referred to with reference to the annular air space and the adaptor 38 is such that a small quantity of heated air Will cause to be commingled and mixed with the treated or moist air issuing from 'the annular air space in the adaptor before adaptortii. WUpon' connecting the cord f toy an electricalfoutlet the'lamp I 5 will become heated.'Y The'air entering the casing Il] through the perforations lI'I is drawn'upw'ardly through the casing in contact with the lamp l and 'heatreaching the mask and the patient. The breathing of the patient must be easy and natural and not labored at any time and not retarded or restricted by anything.

The insulated portion of the branch E!) serves as a handhold for the patient enabling him to hold the inhaler in an attitude and position which will be most convenient and ei'ective with relation to the mask and of course the patient. The spilling of medicament orv 'other iluid is avoided by providing the container 2S which receives cotton saturatedwith medicament.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the device may bereadily disassembled for the purpose of washingand sterilizationafter use by the patient.Y It will beseen that the heating element or'larnp Vl5 can be readily removed from the branch or handle lil; in a like manner the container 23 for the medicament is' readily removed from branch il of' the 'tube andv the mask 29 is likewise removable from' the' other branch l2 of the horizontal tube. When these parts have been removed all that remains of the inhaler is a T-shaped shell formed bythe branch and thereby causing a pull upon the liquid suspended 'in the cotton whichY volatilizesthe liquid and it becomes 4evaporated' into Athe heated air streams;

The construction 'of' the vbranch Hand "container 23andtherelative arrangement of these' two parts vwith respect to the annularair' space andwith respect'to the port 25 at'the top of the casingl i@ through vwhich the'heated air current moves is-suclr'thatthe heated air current is allowed a-great areaH in 'which' to expand in the lower portion of the' annular `air space' whereby thel heated air in relatively' large `volume all alongthe' axial length of the slots 21 may move out in two streams, `one on eachside ofthe container 23.As heretofore pointed out the `slots 21 oiTer very large exposed areas of the Vcotton to the two widely spread streams of air movin up on both sides of' the container 23 and this relationship and arrangement thus insures the entrainment in these heated streams of air of a satisfactory volume of moisture or medicament. Moreover ity will be noted that the right hand side of the annular air space is not interrupted or impeded by any parts but is continuouslyfree and wholly opento the mask. I-Iowever there is a by-pass orce 3S left between the upper end'of branch i9 and the adjacent open end of the container 2,3 to avoid an undue quantity of 'heated air by-passing the saturated cotton as such. by-passing air would naturally not come under the influence of the cotton nor Iii and branches l l and l2, and the immersion of the shell in a body of sterilizing liquid permits all parts of the shell to be thoroughly sterilized or washed.

The inhaler body may be of any Suitable material such as metal, Bakelite, etc. and while insulation has been shown as applied only exteriorly on the branch H3, it will be understood that the insulation may be interiorly only of the "branch or both interiorly and exteriorly to prevent the conduction of heat to the external parts of the casing which serves as a handheld for the inhaler.

Itis obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of 'construction and design of the above` specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof,"such changes and modications being restricted only by Athe scope of the following claims.

'What'is claimed is:

l. An inhaler of the type described comprising an elongated hollow casing provided with air inlet openings at one of. its ends, a removable Acap closing the end of the hollow casing adjacent said air inlet openings, an elongated heating unit carried by said cap and extending longitudinally into said `casing for the greater portion of the length of the casing in spaced relation to the side walls thereof, the end of the casing opposite the removable heater carrying -cap Vbeing contracted to provide areduced `passage beyond kthe end of the heater unit, a tube secured transversely of the reduced end of the casing and communieating at a point between its ends Withthe open end of the reduced passage at the end of `the casing, a removable plugvclosing one end of the tube, a container carried by the plug'invspaced relation to the inner walls ofthe tubeacross the` open reduced end of the casing, said container containing fluid saturated material and being provided with a plurality of slots, and a mask carried by the other end of the tube for inhalation ,of air through the air inlet openings in the casing past the heating unit and around the slotted container, said air being divided by the .container to pass adjacent the slots in said container walls to extract moisture from the material therein, some of. the air issuing from the reduced end of the casing being by-passed aroundk the end of the container to mix with the air streams containing moisture extracted fromY the container. i

2. An inhaler of the type described comprising an elongated hollow casing provided with air inlet openings at one of its ends,` a removable cap closing the end of the hollow casing adjacent said air inlet openings, an elongated heating unit carried by said cap and extending longitudinally into said .casing for the greater portion of the length of the casing in spaced relation to the side walls thereof, the end of the casing opposite the removable heater carrying cap being contracted to provide a reduced passage beyond the end of the heater unit, a tube secured transversely of the reduced end of the casing and communicating at a point between its ends with the open end of the reduced passage at the end of the casing, a removable plug closing one end of the tube, a container carried by the plug in spaced relation to the inner walls of the tube across the open reduced end of the casing, said container containing fluid saturated material and being provided with a plurality of. slots, a mask carried by the other end of the tube for inhalation of air through the air inlet openings in the casing past the heating unit and around the slotted container, said air being divided by the container to pass adjacent the slots in said containerwalls to extract moisture from the material therein, some of the air issuing from the reduced end of the casing being by-passed around the end of the container to mix with the air streams containing moisture extracted from the container, said container having its end open and the slots in its walls elongated longitudinally of the container to facilitate removal and insertion of material through the open end of the container.

3. An inhaler of the type described comprising an elongated hollow casing provided with air inlet openings at one of its ends, a removable cap closing the end of the hollow casing adjacent said air inlet openings, an elongated heating unit carried by said cap and extending longitudinally into said casing for the greater portion of the length of the casing in spaced relation to the side walls thereof., the end of the casing opposite the removable heater carrying cap being contracted to provide a reduced passage beyond the end of the heater unit, a tube secured transversely of the reduced end of the casing and communicating at a point between its ends with the open end of the reduced passage at the end of the casing, a removable plug closing one end of the tube, a container carried by the plug in spaced relation to the inner walls of the tube across the open reduced end of the casing, said container containing fluid saturated material and being provided with a plurality of slots, a mask carried by the other end of the tube for inhalation of air through the air inlet openings in the casing past the heating unit and around the slotted container, said air being divided by the container to pass adjacent the slots in said container walls to extract moisture from the material therein, some of the air issuing from the reduced end of the casing being by-passed around the end of the container to mix with the air streams containing moisture extracted from the container, said hollow casing being provided throughout a substantial portion of its length with heat insulating material whereby the elongated casing serves as a handle for manipulation of the inhaler.

4. In an inhaler, a casing provided with air admitting means, a heating source disposed within said casing in spaced relation thereto, a tube having a port connecting the interior of the tube withrthe interior of the casing, said port being disposed between and spaced from the ends of the tube, a medicament holding container disposed in one end of the tube in spaced relation thereto and having an open portion in its side wall, said container extending across the port and terminating in spaced relation to one edge of the port to provide a by-pass between the port and the end of the container, said arrangement permitting a large portion of the heated air issuing from the port to pass around the container in contact with the open portion of the container side wall and a small portion of the heated air being by-passed around the end of the container without coming into contact with the open portion of the container side wall.

5. In an inhaler, a casing provided with air admitting means, heating means within the casing in spaced relation thereto, a tube secured transversely of the casing, said tube having a port connecting th-e interior of the tube with the interior of the casing, said port being disposed between and spaced from the ends of the tube, a medicament container disposed in one end of the tube in spaced relation to the walls of the tube, said container having open portions in its side walls communicating with the interior of the medicament container, said container extending transversely of the port and having its end portion terminating in spaced relation to an inner edge of the port, said end portion of the container and inner edge of the port providing aby-pass whereby a portion of the heated air issuing from the casing will come into contact with the open portions of the medicament container and a portion of the heated air will be by-passed from contact with the open portions of the medicament container.

6. In an inhaler, a, casing, means for admitting air into the casing, a heating source within the casing in spaced relation thereto, a hollow member secured transversely of the casing and having a port connecting the interior of the hollow member with the interior of the casing, said port being disposed between and spaced from the ends of the hollow member, a medicament container disposed transversely in one end of the hollow member in spaced relation to the walls of the member, said container having transverse openings in its side wall exposing medicament in the container to heated air issuing from the port of the casing, an edge of said port and the adjacent end of said container providing a restricted space for the by-passing of a portion of the heated air away from the transverse openings of the container and medicament whereby a small quantity of heated air will be caused to commingle with the treated air issuing from the other end of said hollow member.

7. An inhaler of the type described comprising a vertically disposed hollow member and a. horizontally disposed hollow member in inner communication with .each other by means of a port, said port being :disposed betweenand spacedfrom the.Y ends of the horizontal member, means for admittingair into said vertical member, a heating source disposed withinV said Vvertical member inspacedrelation thereto, inhaling means atone end .of the horizontaly member, anopenY faced medicament container disposed in the otherend of the horizontal .member in spaced relation to the Walls thereof, said container extendingzacross the port and .terminating .adjacent one edgesof said port, saidY arrangement providingv a substantial area between 4thecontainer andthe horizontal member and g'a .restricted area (between. the end .of the Containern and ithe yedge of -the port whereby a large portionsof theheated air issuing from the verticaLcasingVwillfpass .between the open ,faced .medicament container .and the. Walls of. the horizontal member Yto tbe Vvmedicated while a small portion ;of theair issuing from itheverticalcasing will be by-passed between vthelend of the `container .and itheedge Yof the port to be commingled with the medicated air in the inhalingmeans.

8. In an inhaler, acasing provided with air admitting means at one end portion thereof, a heating source within saidcasing and in spaced relation thereto, a hollow member disposed transversely of the casing and in inner communication therewith by means of a port, said port being disposed between and spaced `from the ends of the hollow member, an open wall medicament container disposed in one end of said hollow member in spaced relation thereto, said container extending across said port and having its end portion spaced from an edge of the port, inhaling means provided on the other end portion of the hollow member, and means'between the end portion of the medicament container and the edge of the port whereby a portion of the air issuing from said port will-pass into said inhaling means Without-contacting the open Walls of the medicament container.

CHARLES L. MAGEE. 

